1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:05,520 Speaker 1: I can't explain Maltese culture. This is not a democratic place. 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: There is no democratic spirit. People think only in terms 3 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: of surviving and keeping the Hakem the Master off their backs. 4 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: We have moved from a good house built on solid 5 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: rock foundations to a skyscraper built on sand. 6 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:33,919 Speaker 2: It's April twenty seventeen, six months before Daphnese murder, a 7 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 2: pleasant warm day on the Key Side in Imcida, a 8 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 2: harbor town just next to Malta's capital of the letter. 9 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 3: This is a place built for relaxation and luxury. The 10 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 3: water is filled with beautiful and expensive yachts popping gently 11 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 3: in this well. Right now is just before noon, and 12 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 3: a few pedestrians about are mostly middle aged joggers or 13 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 3: restaurant workers on a smoke break. But one man is 14 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 3: here on Celia's business. Mister Middleman, Melvin Toma has an 15 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 3: appointment as definitely would say he's keen to keep the 16 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 3: Hearkem the Master off his back. From iHeart Podcasts, Topic 17 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 3: Studios and Vespucci. I'm Manuel Delia and I'm John Sweeney 18 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 3: and this is Crooks Everywhere, Episode five. The middle Man. 19 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 3: The agreement is to meet here at the Busybe Cafe, 20 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 3: a much loved place that's been around for decades. 21 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,960 Speaker 2: And the inside of the busy Bee is also typical 22 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 2: of an old Maltese seafront cafe. Small, with the tables 23 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 2: close together, may be not ideal for the kind of 24 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 2: private conversation that Melvin the Middleman needs to have today. 25 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 2: Even so, it's too late for him to back out now, 26 00:01:57,800 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 2: even if he were. 27 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 3: Considering it and waiting for Melvin. At a table at 28 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 3: the back end of the busy Bee is a lanky 29 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 3: man in his fifties, thinning hair, nursing a soft drink, 30 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 3: Alfred de Bean de Georgio, the brother of Chinese George 31 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 3: de Georgio. 32 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 2: The following is once again a reconstruction of events described 33 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,119 Speaker 2: in court room testimony by one of those present. We've 34 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 2: dramatized the evidence and provided color in places without changing 35 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,079 Speaker 2: any of the material facts or allegations. 36 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 3: On this day, Alfred de Bean has already been sitting 37 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 3: here for a few minutes. Around the corner, the third 38 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 3: member of the team, Vincent de kof Moscat, is waiting 39 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 3: in a car acting as chauffeur. Melvin the Middleman leans 40 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 3: across the table and they shake hands wherey small talk follows. 41 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 3: If Malta's a small place where everyone knows everyone, the 42 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 3: world of Maltese organized crime is even smaller. Both men 43 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 3: know that if you cross someone, it's not hard for 44 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 3: them to find you. And these two men already go 45 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 3: back years. They aren't close, but Melvin used to rent 46 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 3: out an apartment in the town of Mosta to the 47 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 3: Georgia Brothers. Dangerous men to have as tenants, maybe, but 48 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 3: also maybe useful connections to develop. 49 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 2: Especially if you might need someone to be dealt. 50 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 3: With for a certain kind of job. In Malta. The 51 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 3: Georgia Brothers are believed to be the real professionals, so 52 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 3: much so that Melvin, the middleman, has already been told 53 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 3: to seek out the Brothers specifically for this particular task. 54 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 3: According to courtroom testimony, that task assassinating Malta's most famous journalist. 55 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 4: Pully Cavelli. 56 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 3: Espresso please thank you coffee is ordered and the real 57 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 3: discussion begins Mada. 58 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 2: As middleman, Melvin is acting on behalf of this boss, 59 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 2: one of the most powerful men in malt We will 60 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 2: call him mister alleged Mastermind, and we are calling him 61 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 2: that because he's been indicted for arranging Daphne's murder, but 62 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 2: is currently awaiting trial. It seems that mister alleged Mastermind 63 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 2: has been finding Daphne's writing extremely inconvenient recently, and he's 64 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 2: concerned about what she might publish next. According to secretly 65 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 2: tape recordings heard in court, he is particularly concerned about 66 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 2: what she might publish about corruption and government links to business. 67 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:40,919 Speaker 3: So, according to Melvin, mister alleged Mastermind asked him to 68 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 3: get in touch with the the Georgia Brothers to resolve 69 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 3: the situation. As a first step, Melvin the Middleman has 70 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 3: already paid a visit to the Potato Shack, the warehouse 71 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,720 Speaker 3: that the Jorjo Brothers and Vincent de Koff use as 72 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 3: an office. On that visit, Melvin let it be known 73 00:04:57,200 --> 00:04:59,799 Speaker 3: that someone was willing to pay to have Dafne permanently 74 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 3: a eliminated that Georgios signaled their possible interest and suggested 75 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 3: a further meeting here at the busy Bee. 76 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 2: And now Alfred the Bean is ready to talk in 77 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 2: more detail. 78 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 3: The Bean explains that the task is possible, but only 79 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 3: for the right price. Melvin signals that he expected this. 80 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,720 Speaker 2: Alfred the Bean doesn't know who Melvin the middle Man 81 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 2: is working for, and naturally he doesn't ask. Also, he 82 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 2: doesn't fully appreciate who daphnely is, her influence in importance 83 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 2: in Maltes's politics, or the international impact her death will 84 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 2: have on their cottage industry of killing people on the island. 85 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 2: In fact, crucially neither of them do. 86 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:51,159 Speaker 3: Both Alfred de Bean and Melvin the Middleman sit on 87 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 3: one side of Malta's deep cultural divide, part of the 88 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 3: mainly Maulti speaking working class world where English language political 89 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:01,799 Speaker 3: blogs are not a big concerned. Although did the Georgis 90 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 3: have connections to politicians like Chris Cardona, they do not 91 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 3: appear to follow politics too closely. But even so, a 92 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 3: contract on someone outside the criminal underworld must be a 93 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:17,480 Speaker 3: major undertaking. It can't come cheap, As the Bean explains, 94 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 3: the Bean is blunt. The price of Daphne's life will 95 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 3: be miasenev one hundred and fifty thousand euros about one 96 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 3: hundred sixty thousand dollars Chinese. 97 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 2: George will later claim that it was easy for him 98 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 2: and his brother to settle on these numbers. They simply 99 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 2: reuse the figures they had given the last time. Someone 100 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 2: had asked them to kill Daphne. That earlier murder plot 101 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 2: had fizzled out before an attempt could be made on 102 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 2: her lifetor. 103 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 3: Multice for I'll check with someone, and with that, Melvin 104 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,840 Speaker 3: the Middleman makes it clear he understands the terms of 105 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 3: the deal. He finishes his and thanks Alfred de Bean 106 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 3: for his time. When the response from his boss comes, 107 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 3: Daphne's death warrant will have been signed. 108 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 2: So how do you become a middleman and a murder plot? 109 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 2: Why would you involve yourself in a crime on behalf 110 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 2: of someone else when you don't even really know who 111 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,559 Speaker 2: the victim is or stand to benefit from their death? 112 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 2: What's in it the Melvin the Middleman. 113 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 3: So far as we can tell, he never asked for 114 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 3: any payment for his work enabling the plot, although he 115 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 3: did receive some reward. Definitely never wrote about the De 116 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 3: Georgia brothers or Melvin the Middleman specifically, but she did 117 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 3: write a lot about the culture that lets organized crime 118 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 3: and corruption thrive in Malta, the kind of networks and 119 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 3: relationships that also underpinned the plot to kill her. 120 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 1: January twenty ninth, twenty fifteen. The fabric of Maltese society 121 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: is your typical Southern Mediterranean situation in which it's the 122 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: family versus everybody and everything else. 123 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 3: And this was a recurring theme for Deafnie, that Malta 124 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 3: is not a society of laws and moral rules, but 125 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 3: instead the culture of networks of power and loyalty. 126 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: There is no concept of society and hence absolutely no 127 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 1: civic sense. Maltese people do not care about each other. 128 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 1: They care about themselves first and foremost, and their immediate 129 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 1: family a close second. 130 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 2: And how does loyalty to family get us through a 131 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 2: murder plot? 132 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 3: Definitely wrote about that too. For her, Maltese culture was 133 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 3: based on what you called a moral feminism. It's a 134 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 3: slightly academic term, but then that was sometimes Deafhnie's style. 135 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 3: A moral feminalism has its own answer to the question 136 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 3: what's the right thing to do. It's not what's best 137 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 3: for everyone, or even what's best for most people. Right 138 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:09,199 Speaker 3: or wrong, is about what's best for my family, because 139 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 3: if it's good for my family, I'm likely to be 140 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:12,559 Speaker 3: better off as well. 141 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:19,319 Speaker 1: March twenty fifth, twenty thirteen. Those who wish to understand 142 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: how Maltese society functions have no choice, but to read 143 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: up on a moral famiism. A moral famialism is the 144 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 1: reason people in Malta use their vote as currency and 145 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 1: do not think in terms of the common good or 146 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,319 Speaker 1: choosing the right government, but in terms of s fighting 147 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 1: slash rewarding getting slash preventing others from getting. It is 148 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: not a trend, but the ancient roots of Maltese society, 149 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 1: not even money or EU membership, have been able to 150 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 1: eradicate it. This is where you have the split between 151 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 1: the two Maltas. 152 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 2: The two Maltas. That's Snaphanie's name for the cultural divide 153 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 2: between a predominantly English speaking, more middle class group and 154 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 2: the more working class Maltese speaking wider population. 155 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 3: Amorral feminism can also mean that if you are a 156 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:08,199 Speaker 3: person without power or connections, you will need a godfather 157 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 3: to get ahead, someone more powerful than you who can 158 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 3: help you climb the leader, someone to act as family. 159 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 5: Melvin Tooma wasn't an known person before all this came 160 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:21,679 Speaker 5: to light. 161 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 3: Kert Sansne is executive editor of Monta Today, one of 162 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 3: the main English language newspapers in Malta, and someone who 163 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 3: has covered the investigation into Deafnie's murder and depth. 164 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:35,559 Speaker 5: I mean, he might have had, you know, some court records, 165 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 5: but he wasn't the type you know the name crops 166 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 5: up and is ah okay, he's that type of person. 167 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 3: In contrast to men like Alfred de Bean or Chinese George, 168 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 3: for example, Melvin the Middleman flew more under the radar 169 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 3: with law enforcement, but his backstory and the spider web 170 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 3: of criminal loyalty and obligation he was caught up in 171 00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 3: explains how he came to be involved in Deafnie's killing. 172 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 5: So far, we know that Melvin Town basically was a 173 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 5: taxi driver. He used to be given sort of preferential 174 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 5: taxi stance treatment outside the Hilton Hotel in Saint Julian's 175 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:15,719 Speaker 5: From what. 176 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 2: Has been reported, we also know that Melvin didn't grow 177 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 2: up in luxury or privilege. He certainly wasn't plugged into 178 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 2: Daphnese blog and the world it served. 179 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,679 Speaker 3: But that didn't mean that he wasn't a sevy operator 180 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 3: or fiercely intelligent. Melvin the Middleman is a native of 181 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 3: birger Khana, the same residential district in the center of 182 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 3: Malta where the lawyer Carmel Kirkopp was shot dead. We 183 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 3: know that his father died when he was just a teenager, 184 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 3: a tragedy which may have forced him to grow up 185 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 3: even faster. And if Amorial Famininism is a defining force 186 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 3: in Maltese culture, an ambitious teenager like Melvin might have 187 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 3: known he needed to look for somewhere and someone to 188 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 3: pledge his loyalty to agreements. 189 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:08,560 Speaker 2: What's coming on here? 190 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 3: This is old video footage of the Motor Race Club. 191 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 3: It's the Club President's Cup Final nineteen ninety three, when 192 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 3: Melvin would have been a teenager. One of the nicer 193 00:12:20,679 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 3: legacies of British colonialism, apart from red phone boxes and 194 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,719 Speaker 3: the liking for greasy breakfasts, the Empire also left as 195 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:28,959 Speaker 3: a culture of horse racing. 196 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 2: I'm looking at grainy TV pictures of traps going around 197 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 2: in type formation. Each ride on a sort of chariot 198 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 2: behind his horse lower. 199 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:48,679 Speaker 3: Those chariots are called three can light two wheeled cards 200 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 3: bearing a driver and his whip. For fans, these races matter. 201 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 3: A lot of money changes hands. 202 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 2: In the footage. It looks like a close race on 203 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 2: that day in the nineteen ninety Some middle class martes 204 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 2: are snobbish about the sport. It's seen by them as 205 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:09,079 Speaker 2: almost embarrassing, perhaps because, in contrast with its high society 206 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 2: British origins, horse racing and mortar has evolved into a 207 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,679 Speaker 2: distinctly working class activity. 208 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,440 Speaker 3: As a young guy, Melvin the Middleman found his calling 209 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:29,679 Speaker 3: at the races, working as a groom, running gurians, making connections, 210 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 3: and learning how the bookkeeping and gambling business works. 211 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,840 Speaker 2: That needs skills how to calculate odds, figure out payouts, 212 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,439 Speaker 2: balance profit and loss. But also it needs the emotional 213 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 2: intelligence to understand the punters, the ability to tempt them 214 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 2: into another flutter, just one more bet, to recover their losses, 215 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:51,200 Speaker 2: to persuade them to chase a win that is just 216 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 2: around the corner. 217 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 3: Absolutely, and Melvin seems to have been good at it. 218 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,320 Speaker 3: Who was at home a deras trek, connected and trusted 219 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 3: By the time, Melvin the Middleman was a young man 220 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 3: who was running his own black market betting business, taking 221 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 3: bets in exchange for a commission, and allegedly, on at 222 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,839 Speaker 3: least one occasion, offering loans to men who wanted to 223 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 3: keep gambling but had already spent all their money. 224 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 2: And of course those useful extra loans came with interest. 225 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 2: One of his first brushes with the low came from this. 226 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 2: When he was twenty five, the case was brought against 227 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 2: him for loan sharking, charging extortion's interest on money lent 228 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 2: for gambling. The court heard how he lent one punter 229 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 2: the equivalents of about eight two hundred dollars in today's money. 230 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 2: These loans were for betting on the master horse races. 231 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 2: The punter paid that all back a few days later, 232 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 2: plus an extra fifty percent his interest. Everything purely a 233 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 2: verbal agreement, but when the borrower wasn't able to pay 234 00:14:55,760 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 2: up on later loans, Melvin the Middleman allegedly became unhappy. 235 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 2: The court case records the complaints of frets made against 236 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 2: the borrower and his wife as they turned to other 237 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 2: loan sharks in order to pay him off. Melvin the 238 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:16,040 Speaker 2: Middleman was acquitted of all charges. As he was acquitted, 239 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 2: it would be unfair to draw any conclusion right. 240 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 3: At some point, it seems, Melvin the Middenman began to 241 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 3: think bigger, to look beyond the race track. He started 242 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 3: to operate a national black market lottery based on the 243 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 3: numbers from the official lottery, but with its own tickets 244 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 3: and its own prizes, and again he was good at it. 245 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 3: Press reports quote sources saying he was known for paying 246 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 3: up promptly when customers won. When he was eventually arrested 247 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 3: in connection with Daphanie's murder, police found the equivalent of 248 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 3: two point two million dollars in cash in his home. Still, 249 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 3: he always maintained his other official, legitimate business, driving a 250 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 3: cab with a stand at the luxury Hilton Hotel. And 251 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 3: this might be where the idea of loyalty, connections and 252 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 3: the godfather comes in again. 253 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 2: If you want to run a successful black market gambling business, 254 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 2: eventually you will start to need connections, relationships with people 255 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 2: further up the food chain, those with real power, and 256 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 2: Melvin the middleman seems to have been astute here too. 257 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 2: In his early days at the racetrack, he starts running 258 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 2: errands for a powerful, rich family who also keep horses 259 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 2: at the track. At first, he takes bets for them 260 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 2: as part of his business. It's a natural way in 261 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 2: the men of the family already like gambling. Apparently, everyone 262 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 2: knows that the family patriarch has a lucky number at 263 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:50,120 Speaker 2: Roulette seventeen. 264 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 3: Black Later, the relationship between him and this family grows 265 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 3: into something more personal and more subservient. He brings them 266 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 3: gifts of rabbits for their kitchen, a Maltese delicacy, and 267 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 3: drops off lows of bread for them to eat, making 268 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 3: himself useful and establishing that he deserves a place within 269 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 3: the circle of trust and loyalty under the rules of 270 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 3: amoral feminism. The family patriarch's son is close to Melvin 271 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 3: the Middleman in age, a young man who shares Melvin's 272 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 3: love of the racetrack, but comes from a different world 273 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:35,720 Speaker 3: of wealth, luxury, and connections. Someone who is going places. 274 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 3: Melvin is reported to have thought that this young man, 275 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 3: not his equal, but also not quite his boss, knew. 276 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 2: Everyone, and this young man will grow up to become 277 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:56,160 Speaker 2: our mister alleged mastermind. Melvin the middle Man will later 278 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 2: testify that when he needed help with something that required 279 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 2: government content, he would pass the request through his well 280 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 2: connected old friend. The man helps in other important ways too. 281 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 2: He's probably the one who arranges for Melvin to be 282 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:13,120 Speaker 2: allowed to work the taxi stand outside the Hilton Hotel, 283 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 2: a lucrative spot. 284 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 3: And it's not a one sided relationship for mister alleged Mastermind. 285 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:22,359 Speaker 3: Melvin the Middleman is useful as well. We know that 286 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,199 Speaker 3: at various times he acts as a personal chauffeur for 287 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:31,160 Speaker 3: Alleged Mastermind, sometimes on deeply personal business. When the patriarch 288 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 3: of the family dies, it's Melvin who was trusted with 289 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 3: driving Alleged Mastermind to the funeral. At some point, it 290 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 3: seems Melvin the Middleman and mister Alleged Mastermind even go 291 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 3: on a gambling holiday together to France, with Alleged Mastermind 292 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 3: paying for everything. So this also seems to have been 293 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:55,879 Speaker 3: a close trusting relationship. As amoral feminism demands, and Melvin 294 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:59,720 Speaker 3: the Middleman Tuma might be useful to mister Alleged Mastermind 295 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:04,199 Speaker 3: for an another reason. Melvin has connections to the underworld, 296 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:08,639 Speaker 3: connections to men like the de Giorgio brothers, Connections that 297 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 3: his powerful friend might need. 298 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:25,640 Speaker 2: One day, in April twenty seventeen, Melvin the Middleman gets 299 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 2: a call from mister Alleged Mastermind is a request to 300 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 2: meet face to face to talk. Melvin doesn't hesitate. By 301 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 2: this time, the Labor government of Joseph Muscat has been 302 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 2: in power for four years. A general election has been 303 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:43,360 Speaker 2: called early and is due in a few weeks. Daphne 304 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:47,200 Speaker 2: is now one of the government's most outspoken and effective critics. 305 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 2: Her stories and government corruption are dominating politics. Prime Minister 306 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:55,159 Speaker 2: Joseph Muscat even claims that he had to call the 307 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:59,640 Speaker 2: elections to put to rest her accusations of wrongdoing. But 308 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 2: miss through alleged mastermind isn't calling a meeting to discuss politics. 309 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 2: He asked Melvin the Middleman to meet him outside a 310 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 2: Thai restaurant near the Hilton Hotel by the Marina. 311 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 4: It was a restaurant by the name of Blue Elephant. 312 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 3: Jason Atza Pardi the lawyer for Dafinie family. 313 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 6: And over there he spoke with Melvin Toma, asking him 314 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 6: how he could get in touch with a particular criminal, 315 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 6: one of Malta's foremost underworld criminals, because he needed to 316 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:33,679 Speaker 6: get rid of someone. 317 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 3: That someone is definite. According to court testimony given by 318 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 3: Melvin the Middleman, the request is as follows, do you 319 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 3: know Chinese George because I need him I want to 320 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:57,160 Speaker 3: kill Dafnicia. There's no room for confusion. Melvin is being 321 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 3: recruited as the middleman in a conspiracy to commit murder and. 322 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:04,680 Speaker 2: For me, this is one of the most depressing moments 323 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:08,919 Speaker 2: in the whole story. Melvin the Middleman's criminal activity, so 324 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:12,919 Speaker 2: far as we know, is black market bookmaking, working the 325 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 2: dark side of gambling, maybe some loan sharking, all illegal, 326 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 2: but he's not a killer. But at that moment, by 327 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,440 Speaker 2: the Blue Elephant is being asked to organize the murder 328 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 2: of an innocent woman. By any normal moral compass, it's 329 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:35,879 Speaker 2: straightforwardly evil. It's also not even in his financial self interest. 330 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:40,479 Speaker 2: There isn't a fee offered to him, and so Melvin 331 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 2: the Middleman does have an opportunity here. In theory, he 332 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 2: could do the right thing and back out. 333 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:48,640 Speaker 3: But that's not what it does. In fact, he's all in. 334 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 3: And to understand why, I think Definie's on analysis is useful. 335 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:58,919 Speaker 3: Once again, however evil this plan is, and however risky 336 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 3: it is, for Melvin Dedman, under the rules of AMORL feminism, 337 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 3: the only ethical value that he must honor is loyalty. 338 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:12,639 Speaker 3: Loyalty to the family and Melvin the Middleman's years of 339 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 3: history with the alleged Mastermind, the gifts, the favors, the 340 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 3: odd jobs, make alleged Mastermind's family Melvin's own. As Dephney said, 341 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 3: it's the family versus everybody and everything else. But once more, 342 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:38,439 Speaker 3: this is just my take. What we do know is 343 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:41,360 Speaker 3: that when Melvin the Middleman Toma is asked to help 344 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 3: kill Dephanie, he does not hesitate. 345 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 6: Melvin Toma got going and contacted the Georgios, and thereafter 346 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:55,640 Speaker 6: a series of contacts starts until one fine day they 347 00:22:55,760 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 6: meet in a cafeteria in the small town of Incida, 348 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 6: where the details of the commissioning of the murder to 349 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 6: take place were given, the price requested, and subsequently Melvin Toma, 350 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:16,840 Speaker 6: of course, each time going back to the Mastermind. 351 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,119 Speaker 2: The same cafe meeting by the key side that this 352 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 2: episode started with. In the weeks that follow that meeting, 353 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:27,919 Speaker 2: Melvin's enabling role as middleman becomes crucial, varying information and 354 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 2: instructions between the assassins and his powerful friend. After the 355 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:36,439 Speaker 2: busy Bee meeting, he relays the price that Alfred the 356 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 2: Bean has quoted one hundred and fifty thousand euros, and 357 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 2: mister alleged Mastermind signs off on it. It is Melvin 358 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:47,800 Speaker 2: the Middleman who then informs the killers that preparations for 359 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 2: the murder can begin. Later, it is Melvin the Middleman 360 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:55,399 Speaker 2: who is tasked with ordering the murder team to move faster. 361 00:23:56,440 --> 00:24:01,119 Speaker 2: Mister alleged Mastermind specifically tells him to pass on a 362 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 2: chilling message, hurry up and kill her. 363 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 3: Throughout, Melvin the Middleman is providing a crucial service, a 364 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:18,159 Speaker 3: layer of insulation and distance between mister alleged Mastermind and 365 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:21,399 Speaker 3: the actual killers who will murder Dafny. Thanks to Melvin 366 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 3: the Middleman, Daphnee killers do not know who they are 367 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 3: ultimately working for. 368 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 2: Soon after the killing is agreed and the preparations have begun, 369 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 2: he gets a call from mister alleged Mastermind, who says 370 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 2: that someone is about to get in touch an important official. 371 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:43,879 Speaker 2: When he asks what the call will be about, mister 372 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 2: alleged Mastermind declines to discuss it on the phone. Soon after, 373 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 2: the official from the government does call him. It's Sandro Kraus, 374 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 2: the mayor of the town of Rabbits and whose other 375 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 2: job is head of customer Care at the office of 376 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 2: the Prime Minister, a powerful man at the center of government, 377 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:07,400 Speaker 2: close to the leadership of the whole country, and mister 378 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:11,800 Speaker 2: Kraus invites Melvin for a personal appointment at Castile Moult's 379 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:17,200 Speaker 2: central government offices. Melvin the middleman isn't the kind of 380 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 2: guy who's comfortable in fancy government officers. On the day 381 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 2: of the appointment, he calls mister alleged Mastermind for advice 382 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:29,200 Speaker 2: on which door to enter by. When he does figure 383 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 2: that out, there's another surprise. He's met on the steps 384 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 2: by an even more important man, Keith Skembrie, the Prime 385 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 2: Minister's chief of staff. 386 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 3: He's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's right hand man. They even 387 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 3: went to school together. It was Skembury who managed the 388 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:51,480 Speaker 3: election campaign that first got Joseph Mouscat elected in twenty thirteen, 389 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 3: and as the Prime Minister's chief of staff, he's considered 390 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,159 Speaker 3: by some to be the real power behind the throne 391 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 3: in Malta. Needless to say, definitely. Karina Galizia isn't a 392 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 3: fan of mister Scambrie. He's one of the politicians she 393 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 3: is most famous for attacking, along with the Prime Minister 394 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 3: and Crescardoona. Daphnely alleged that Schkembrie was at the heart 395 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 3: of some of the most important corruption scandals in the 396 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:19,320 Speaker 3: country and was using his political power for a legal profit. 397 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:23,280 Speaker 3: Scanbury denies it, but we will come to The evidence 398 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 3: definitely found for that later in this podcast, but for now, 399 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:30,119 Speaker 3: it's enough to know Keith sch Caambrie is one of 400 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 3: the most powerful politicians in the country. 401 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 2: He's understandably amazed to be greeted by mister Skembrey himself. 402 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 2: In fact, Melvin the Middleman seems to be an honored 403 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 2: guest for some reason. Keith Schambrie, who's made time to 404 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 2: give Melvin a Middleman, a black market bookie, a personal 405 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 2: tour of his office. He also offers Melvin a coffee. 406 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,199 Speaker 2: Melvin has the presence of mind to get a photo 407 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:01,120 Speaker 2: of them together himself and mister Skembury arms around each 408 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:04,160 Speaker 2: other's shoulders in the office of the Chief of Staff 409 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 2: of the Prime Minister of Malta. 410 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 3: Years later, this will become one of the most famous 411 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:11,479 Speaker 3: photos in Malta. 412 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 2: Soon after, Melvin the Middleman gets another invitation to a 413 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:21,439 Speaker 2: government building, where another surprise waits for him. Without warning, 414 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 2: he finds he's in a job interview. It lasts a 415 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 2: few minutes, and he's then informed that he's now a 416 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:30,920 Speaker 2: public employee, a government driver. He will receive a regular 417 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 2: salary of around one thousand dollars a month, Melvin the 418 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:38,360 Speaker 2: Middleman is so confused. He tries to argue, pointing out 419 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 2: that he doesn't need another job, as he's already got 420 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 2: his taxi business. But he's missing the point. This is 421 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 2: a special kind of government job, one way you get 422 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:54,199 Speaker 2: sent a check each month, but you aren't expected to 423 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:56,000 Speaker 2: turn up or do anything else. 424 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,919 Speaker 3: It appears that alleged mastermind is even better connected with 425 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:06,119 Speaker 3: politicians than Melvin the Middleman realized. 426 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:09,639 Speaker 2: So you can still understand some of why Melvin might 427 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 2: be surprised by all of this. If you're involved in 428 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 2: planning a murder, it seems obvious that you would try 429 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:20,120 Speaker 2: and keep things as to screech and quiet as possible 430 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 2: as few people involved as you can. But instead, Melvin 431 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 2: the Middleman is being invited to photo opportunities and guided 432 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:32,160 Speaker 2: tools with politicians, and now because of his fake government job, 433 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:35,560 Speaker 2: there is a financial paper trail involving him as well. 434 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:40,560 Speaker 3: Not very discreeched exactly, and this set of meetings in 435 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 3: government offices does turn note to be catastrophic for everyone involved, 436 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 3: no matter whether any of the officials and politicians actually 437 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 3: know about the rest of the murder plot. Years later, 438 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 3: in twenty twenty two, Keach Cambrie, Sandro Craus, mister alleged Mastermind, 439 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 3: and two other men will be entitled criminal charges of 440 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 3: theft and misappropriation for their role in providing Melvin the 441 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 3: Middleman Tuma with this imaginary job. They have all denied 442 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:14,640 Speaker 3: the charges and the case is ongoing. So yes, it 443 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 3: is difficult to understand the motivation for creating this false job. 444 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:22,720 Speaker 3: It seems more than indiscrete. It's a needless risk. But 445 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 3: I think there's a twisted logic to it within the 446 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:30,360 Speaker 3: rules of corrupt power, politics and patronage, within amoral feminism. 447 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:33,920 Speaker 3: Here's the logic. For a boss like mister relegit Mastermind 448 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 3: to retain his power, he needs to demonstrate it, to 449 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:41,840 Speaker 3: flex his muscles, the opposite of being discrete. So as 450 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 3: I read it, the meetings at Castile are a performance, 451 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 3: a demonstration to impress and reassure Melvin the Middleman. Look 452 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 3: at the strings I can pull. Look how far above 453 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:55,959 Speaker 3: the law I am. Look who my own godfather is. 454 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 3: Trust me and follow my lead and never cross possibly. 455 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:04,480 Speaker 3: But all this is just my interpretation of why this happened. 456 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 2: A few months later, Melvin the Middleman completes his mission 457 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 2: definitely is murdered, but this isn't the end of the assignment. 458 00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 2: He continues his crucial work as middleman. He returns to 459 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:33,280 Speaker 2: the busybe Cafe to pass only a greed payment in 460 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 2: cash to the assassins, and he continues to provide a 461 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:40,960 Speaker 2: communication channel between them and mister alleged mastermind. 462 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 3: After the murder, Melvin de middleman Toma begins to get nervous. 463 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:52,680 Speaker 3: Like everyone else. He's watching the growing protests of Verdephnie's death, 464 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:57,239 Speaker 3: the demonstrations by women's groups and human rights organizations at 465 00:30:57,240 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 3: the Great Siege Monument that we heard about last episode. 466 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 6: Belvin Toma who never anticipated the uproar, this tsunami of reactions, 467 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 6: the civil society protests. 468 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:14,880 Speaker 4: He never expected not to know in their wildest dreams. 469 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:18,720 Speaker 3: The tsunami of reactions is coming from the other Malta, 470 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 3: the world of the mainly middle class of English speaking, 471 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 3: certainly English reading Malta, the Malta of Deafney supporters. 472 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:32,080 Speaker 6: This was all, let's say, on chartered territory for them. 473 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 6: They never anticipated it would. And there was a moment 474 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:40,680 Speaker 6: where literally month after month, various countries around the world, 475 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:45,600 Speaker 6: as far as far away as Japan and the USA 476 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:50,680 Speaker 6: recognizing the sterling work of definite Carna Galicia, and that 477 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 6: is something that instilled fear, the fear of being caught. 478 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:58,960 Speaker 3: But it turns out that mister Relligit Mastermind does have 479 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 3: one very important weapon to defend himself and everyone else 480 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:09,760 Speaker 3: involved in Daphne's murder, access to information. The police investigation 481 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:12,680 Speaker 3: into Daphne's death is supposed to be the most secure 482 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 3: and tightly monitored operation and more as recent history. And 483 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:20,240 Speaker 3: yet somehow did the Georgias and Vince de Koff knew 484 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:22,240 Speaker 3: that trade on their Potecto Schad was coming. 485 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:28,240 Speaker 2: How Throughout the investigation, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is given 486 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 2: regular confidential briefings with police investigators to hear the progress 487 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:36,960 Speaker 2: they are making in solving the case. These briefings include 488 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 2: every breakthrough that the investigators make, an information about who 489 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:44,719 Speaker 2: is on their list of suspects. One of the senior 490 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 2: police officers each briefing is Deputy Police Commissioner Sylvia of 491 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:53,600 Speaker 2: the Letter. Unluckily for the killers, it just so happens 492 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 2: the Deputy Police Commissioner Sylvia the Letter is a close 493 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:03,480 Speaker 2: personal friend of mister alleged Mastermind and According to later 494 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:08,720 Speaker 2: court testimony by Melvin the Middleman, mister alleged Mastermind repeatedly 495 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 2: received confidential information about the investigation into Daphne's murder from 496 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:19,520 Speaker 2: Sylvio the Letter. Sylvio the Letter denies any wrongdoing. 497 00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:25,000 Speaker 3: That's not all. It turns out that the Prime Minister, 498 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:31,320 Speaker 3: Joseph Mouscat himself also knows mister alleged master Mindwald. Melvin 499 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:34,120 Speaker 3: the Middleman later said that he was given to understand 500 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:37,520 Speaker 3: they were very close friends. The two of them also 501 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 3: message each other regularly through WhatsApp, with hundreds of messages 502 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:45,080 Speaker 3: sent over several years. At some point, a private WhatsApp 503 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:48,360 Speaker 3: group is even created. The only members are the Prime Minister, 504 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:52,959 Speaker 3: mister Alleged Mastermind, and Keach Cambrie. In the group, they 505 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:56,920 Speaker 3: bent the about food and women, never anything too political, or, 506 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,400 Speaker 3: as far as we can tell, anything openly connected to 507 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 3: Daphne's But it's another sign of how the rules of 508 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:06,120 Speaker 3: amoral feminism who you know and who you are loyal 509 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:10,160 Speaker 3: to appear to be working in mister Alleged master Mind's favor. 510 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:14,520 Speaker 2: And Keith Schambrie, the Prime Minister's chief of staff, is 511 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:19,239 Speaker 2: relevant for another reason. He's another of the people regularly 512 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 2: present at the confidential security briefings on Daphne's murder, even 513 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 2: though his job has no direct relation to law enforcement. 514 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:31,400 Speaker 2: Keith Schambrie has denied leaking this information. 515 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:38,880 Speaker 3: In other words, the investigation into Daphne's death is deeply 516 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 3: compromised from day one. All the painstaking early investigative work 517 00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 3: by the FBI, the project to correct the killers as 518 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:50,680 Speaker 3: a mess messages, triangulate their positions, and gather daming phone evidence, 519 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 3: all of that is leaked to the criminals. 520 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:57,560 Speaker 2: This is how the assassins are so well prepared when 521 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 2: their hideout is hit with the dawn swat raid. This 522 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:05,840 Speaker 2: is the real answer when the interrogating officer asked Chinese George, 523 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:07,920 Speaker 2: how did you know we were coming? 524 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 3: George? 525 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:13,160 Speaker 2: They knew the police were coming because this is Malta 526 00:35:13,960 --> 00:35:18,080 Speaker 2: and their intelligence was better than that of the police. 527 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:23,319 Speaker 3: Secretly taped recordings revealed mister Eligit mastermind, telling Melvin that 528 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:28,000 Speaker 3: he should relax more to remember they are now in control. 529 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:30,120 Speaker 3: It's simple, he says. 530 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:32,640 Speaker 4: He told him, don't worry. 531 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:36,720 Speaker 6: As long as we have the money, they can kiss 532 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 6: our balls quote unquote in vernacular molt ease. 533 00:35:42,840 --> 00:35:43,960 Speaker 4: That was the mindset. 534 00:35:44,239 --> 00:35:46,680 Speaker 6: Once I have the money, once I'm so rich, I 535 00:35:46,719 --> 00:35:47,759 Speaker 6: am untouchabile. 536 00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:53,400 Speaker 2: We do have one other insight into the special moral 537 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:57,239 Speaker 2: compass of Melvin the Middleman. Years later, when he was 538 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:00,520 Speaker 2: testifying about his role in the murder Jason as a 539 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:04,520 Speaker 2: party cross examined him as a party asked him in court. 540 00:36:05,239 --> 00:36:06,600 Speaker 4: Didn't you realize? 541 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:12,920 Speaker 6: Didn't you ever think you are going to kill a woman, 542 00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:20,000 Speaker 6: a mother, a wife. 543 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,840 Speaker 4: A daughter, a sister. 544 00:36:22,840 --> 00:36:27,640 Speaker 6: Okay, she was a human being, and Melvin Toma went silent. 545 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,560 Speaker 4: You could hear a pin drop in the courtroom. 546 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:38,560 Speaker 6: He broke down, crying, admitting that it was the first 547 00:36:38,719 --> 00:36:47,680 Speaker 6: time that moment someone had made him see the cruelty, 548 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:57,080 Speaker 6: the inhumanity of what he had done. 549 00:36:57,920 --> 00:37:01,439 Speaker 3: But that crisis of conscience is still a long way off. 550 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:07,560 Speaker 3: Back in early twenty eighteen, in the first few months 551 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 3: of the Daphne's death and the protests and the Swat 552 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:15,240 Speaker 3: raid and the arrests of the assassins, Melvin the Middleman 553 00:37:15,640 --> 00:37:19,160 Speaker 3: begins to be consumed by fear that he might not 554 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:33,040 Speaker 3: be as safe as he taught. That's next. Crooks Everywhere 555 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:37,239 Speaker 3: is a production of iHeart Podcasts, Topic Studios and Vespucci 556 00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:41,800 Speaker 3: It's reported and hosted by me Manuel Delilla and John Sweeney. 557 00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:46,320 Speaker 3: The senior producer is Leo Hornack. The producer is Maddie 558 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:51,000 Speaker 3: Hickish krish Denesh Kumar is the assistant producer. The story 559 00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:55,279 Speaker 3: editors are Emma Federill, Matt Willis and Philippa Geering. The 560 00:37:55,360 --> 00:37:59,560 Speaker 3: managing producers are Thomas Curry and Rachel Byrne. The voice 561 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:03,400 Speaker 3: of Dafne Karwana Galizia is played by Ciena Miller, acting 562 00:38:03,440 --> 00:38:07,960 Speaker 3: direction by Christopher Houghten Maltese voices by Mikhail basma Jan 563 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:12,480 Speaker 3: and Pierre Staffraj. The executive producers are Johnny Galvin and 564 00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:17,760 Speaker 3: Daniel Turken at Vespucci, Christi Gressman at Topic Studios, Katriina 565 00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:21,880 Speaker 3: Norvel and Nikki Etoor at iHeart Podcasts, and Cienna Miller. 566 00:38:22,520 --> 00:38:26,560 Speaker 3: Marketing leader is David Wassman. Audio recording by Tom Berry 567 00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:30,360 Speaker 3: at Wardoor Studios. Audio mix and sound design by Joel Cox. 568 00:38:31,080 --> 00:38:36,360 Speaker 3: Special thanks to Andrew Botchcardona, Alessandra di Crespo, Eddie Isles, 569 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:38,000 Speaker 3: and Andrew Krwana Galizia